Live Life: Pray

Last week, I committed to limit my time with social media for Lent. It was surprisingly easy to do. I have only been checking Instagram and Facebook once every night (besides my Sabbath this weekend). I have seriously felt so free and at peace about it, it’s cool to see the it is all truly just excess.

This week’s Lent challenge is prayer. The tagline in my email notification read “Do you ever feel frustrated with prayer?” Ummmmm, it’s like they were writing directly to me. Lately my quiet times with God have been so methodical: bible, journal, pray, done. I've just felt disconnected, like there’s a wall between God and I. The most humbling part, it’s not God’s fault….it’s my attitude. I've been turning my prayer life into a wish list again. When it comes down to it, I've forgotten the reverence behind prayer. I've ignored God’s sovereignty.

One of this week’s challenges is to pray in a format similar to the Lord’s prayer. This structure opens with adoration for His power, and the supplication is not a selfish one. It’s to see His kingdom come. His will be done. What does that mean? It’s not about me. My mission is to see His kingdom come in my life, and on my campus.

So this week, I’m devoting time to converse with my Savior, intimately. I want to set aside time each morning when I wake up, and right before I go to bed to come God to listen and speak. I am also praying over this prayer, my personalized version of Matthew 6:5-13:

”Our Father, you are good and powerful and worthy of my praise. You provide for me beyond compare. Lord, I pray that your will be done on this campus. That your kingdom come at BU. You are my strength & my power. Remind me that you are my source. I pray against selfishness & pride. You are good and your plan exceeds my own. May I be constantly humbled to do Your will this week. Thy will be done. Thy kingdom come.”

February Cara Box Reveal

I am quite excited to link up at Wifessionals for this month’s Cara Box reveal. This month’s theme was the ultimate date night (inspired by her #clubsexy date she planned for her husband). I sent a box to Alyssa at A Latte Love, so stop by her blog to check out what I sent (fun fact, our boyfriends have the same name)! I also had the privilege to get the most wonderful box from Jessica at Sprinkles Make Everything Better. You should go send these ladies some love!

I was seriously so excited to see what Jessica was going to send me. I told Jessica that my ideal date is just chilling out with some snacks and maybe a movie (honestly it’s the easiest date as a college student). Jessica took this idea and exceeded my expectations!



The first thing I saw was this adorable checklist that correlated with each gift se packed:


Here is each gift (except the date book I forgot to picture):
{caution tape to decorate, make up to get pretty, Mrs. Doubtfire (a childhood favorite of mine), m&m’s and gum to snack on, and some muffin mix I’m dying to try}



I cannot get over how much thought Jessica put into this, down to the wrapping and note she wrote…everything was so good! Thanks again Jessica!!!
I totally recommend participating in this link-up, it is so much fun!

Life Lately

Oh gracious, this semester has become a busy one. As many of you may know, I’ve given up social media during the day…but that has not made my schedule any less hectic. Honestly, I’m happy I've made that commitment because I am starting to realize how unnecessary all of it is. Anywho, I decided to stop by and give you a glimpse of my life lately. Whelp, here goes:

My Valentine’s creations this year {please note the corny card I made….that’s what happens when I’m dating a math major}

~My weekend consisting of crafting some sweet jerseys for my friends’ intramural basketball team
~Part of my morning routine, cereal & a to-do list
~Rocking my new mustard pants…I’m in love
~New running shoes, which have been put to good use this week
~De-licioussssss cupcakes that my suitemate brought back from her trip home. So so good!!!

And last, but definitely not least, this past Friday at InterVarsity we listened to my friend give her testimony about how she’s been transformed in college. Afterward, we invited everyone up to write how they want to be transformed. Here are the cool responses we got!


I hope you all had a swell Thursday!

Live Life: Fast

Week one of the Live Life challenge is focusing on fasting. This is the aspect of Lent I am most familiar with. Growing up, I always heard my friends talking about how they were giving up sweets or tv or something for the time of Lent. Many of them did so begrudgingly, so I never understood the point. But this year, I wanted to fast with a purpose. The point of fasting isn’t to just give something up, it is to examine the aspects of your life that distract you, specifically from God. Immediately, one thing comes to mind. Social media.

I am overly attached to this. I wake up in the morning and immediately check Facebook, Bloglovin’, and Instagram on my phone. Periodically throughout the day I do the same. The last thing I see before I go to sleep is my screen. It seriously a problem. I am starting and ending my day with the world. I distract myself from boring lectures with virtual updates. And yet, in the midst of it all, I devote maybe 15 minutes solely to my Creator. 15 minutes. That’s 1% of my day. 1% to the One who gave me life and everything I have. That’s pretty darn embarrassing.

This Lent, I am not trying to achieve a goal, I am trying to transform how my time is spent. I want to live in a way that shows that God is enough for me. My time does not need to be filled with nonsense that won’t matter days, weeks, or years down the road. My time needs to be with Abba, my Heavenly Father. This Lent, I am unplugging social media during the day. I am only logging on briefly at night and on Sundays. My day will start and end with God, and my down time will be spent being intentional with the people placed in my life. My hope is that through this, I will see glimpses of a life lived to the fullest….a life lived for Him.

Live Life

Prior to college, I never celebrated Lent. To be honest, I always thought it was just a Catholic thing. I recently switched churches here at school and started attending an Anglican church. It has been a great experience seeing worship in such a reverent setting compared to the very casual church I’m used to back home. I am still learning a lot about the church and its traditions, but I decided to do Lent this year. I was unsure of what to do or give up, until I talked to my friend Mackenzie yesterday. Mackenzie invited me to join her as she is doing World Vision’s “Live Life” campaign.
Each week of Lent, we will be participating in a challenge hosted by World Vision. Here is the break down:

I am so excited to see how God is going to grow me through these challenges leading up to the celebration of His death and resurrection!
Will you join me?

Friday’s Letters

Dear Anonymous person who put post-its in the girl’s bathroom and lecture halls, you are such an encouragement…made my day. Dear Aaron, I ‘m glad that our biggest fight yet was over a shared froyo creation (sad but true people, we were both quite particular in our toppings choice) Well, it looks like we will be getting individual cups next time…for the sake of our relationship :p Dear snow, I may or may not be super excited to see you right now. I see snow angels in my future. Dear classes, I’m really enjoying you guys this semester, how about you don’t drown me in work though. Dear feet, please don’t blister hate me because I’ve been working out, I’m just being healthy (tmi? sorry…) Dear Sam, well brother, tomorrow you turn 22. Happy birthday broski!

 

{Please note our matching haircuts on the top right…my mother had a great sense of humor, clearly} Also, we obviously enjoyed taking pictures together a lot more when we were younger. Sibling love at its finest.

 

January Cara Box Reveal

This is my second month linking up for Kaitlyn at Wifessionals Cara Box swap. January’s theme was resolutions. I was fortunate enough to send a box to Alexis from the Senior Year Blog (check out what I got her here). I received my Cara box from Taber at Taber Time!. She has some yummy looking recipes on her blog and her pup Fenix is too cute. You should stop by and say hi to these ladies.

Now onto my box!

Taber sent my stuff to stay organized, which is definitely a necessity as a student. I cannot wait to cover my desk with the sticky notes with my to-do’s! She also sent my a mini pedicure set and some nail polish. Because really, what girl doesn’t love giving herself a pedicure after a long day?!?!

Thanks so much Taber, and I’m happy you like your box Alexis!

{Hurry over to Kaitlyn’s blog to sign up for February’s swap!}